I watched your interview on Hardball with Chris Matthews which aired on August 2, 2013. First, let me commend you for making Chris Matthews the “voice of reason” during that interview. That is no easy feat considering Mr. Matthews’ track record of spouting the absurd. With that said, I wish to get to the main reason for why I’m writing this open letter.

It appears that your organization was misnamed. You’re not against illegal gun owners but legal gun owners. Why else would your organization go on a quest to disarm legal gun owners and claim that we don’t have the right to defend ourselves using Stand Your Ground? I have yet to hear a representative from your organization address the illegal gun trade or condemn our own federal government for its part in Operation Fast & Furious. No, the only thing you concern yourself with right now abolishing Stand Your Ground laws and whether it’s wrong to use a gun in an axe handle fight.

I have to admit that I was rather taken aback that you refused to acknowledge that a man coming at you with an axe handle is armed. Are you implying you can’t kill someone with an axe handle, Mr. Glaze, or that it’s the victim’s responsibility to deescalate the situation? It sounds as if you find the aggressor to be the true victim Mr. Glaze. Well, I’m writing this letter to prove that what you say is not only factually wrong but will cost anyone who heeds your words their lives.

Miss Marva Thompson was in her home the night of October 11, 1988 when her next door neighbor decided to break in. Morris Parrish, a 20-year old drug dealer didn’t expect to find her at home that night. His plan was to rob her and then sell her items so he can pay of the debt he owed to the Junior Black Mafia (JBM). Miss Thompson wasn’t supposed to be home since she generally worked nights as a nurse.

Morris broke in through the back door and found her standing in her dining room. Miss Thompson asked him what he was doing in her home. Morris stood there silent. When Miss Thompson picked up a radio speaker, that was when Morris rushed her, grabbed her arms and hit her on her neck with the speaker; knocking her to the floor. Miss Thompson was able to get up and run to the kitchen a grab a knife. She tried to defend herself and drive away her attacker by slashing at him with the knife but Morris succeeded in bludgeoning her to death anyway. No, he didn’t have an axe handle Mr. Glaze; Morris Parrish used a potted plant to murder Miss Thompson.

But that wasn’t the end of the tragedy inflicted upon Miss Thompson. Morris dragged her lifeless body up the stairs of her home, raped her, and dumped her body in a bathtub full of water. Then Morris robbed her of her belongings and took off. The next morning Miss Marva Thompson’s body was discovered by her sister and her niece; my mother and my sister.

Yes, Miss Marva Thompson was…is my aunt–the aunt I lost in a violent struggle nearly 25 years ago. This 5’0”, 45-year old woman suffered a skull fracture, fractured ribs, lacerations to the face and torso, and sexual abuse by a man who is over half her age and over 6 feet tall. There was no successfully fighting back for her. There was no talking this man down. Morris had an agenda. He could either rob Miss Thompson’s home to get the drug money or face the wrath of the JBM. There is no talking a person who owes a drug debt out of committing a crime to save their own skin. Also, way he treated Miss Thompson’s corpse is proof enough that rational thought was non-existent with Morris Parrish.

I know what you would say–if Miss Thompson had “fled her home” she would be alive today. I say to you that this wasn’t the first time Morris broke into my aunt’s home. My father had to come to her home multiple times to repair the back door that Morris broke whenever he needed to rob her for more drug money. He has been reported to the police multiple times but of course the Philadelphia Police Department’s hands were tied. Those prior times Morris Parrish robbed my aunt, she didn’t have concrete evidence that he was breaking into her house; you know, like actually being there to see him do it. Unfortunately the night of October 11, 1988 she was there to witness the break in.

So, let’s recap:

* My aunt was unable to reason with a known drug dealer who was in fear for his life by the JBM.

* Fleeing or not being in her home only made her a continual victim of said drug dealer who needed to pay off his debt.

* Fighting back cost my aunt her life.

I’m sorry, I prefer another option. This is one of the reasons why I am a gun owner and will not hesitate to defend my family and myself from anyone who wishes to do us harm. You use your father’s occupation as a gun dealer as proof of your experience in the matters of gun violence and Stand Your Ground; well my experience is more personal. I’ve experienced the loss, fear, and grief. I’ve lived through it and I don’t want any other member of my family to experience such emotions ever again. So, as you continue to fight to disarm law abiding citizens and make us defenseless at the hands of the criminals, I shall continue to fight to make sure my right to defend my family and Stand My Ground shall not be taken away.

About the Author

Texas PolitiChick Deborah S. Ayer is a veteran of the US Army and a former firefighter/ Emergency Medical Technician. She resigned to take on her greatest challenge: homemaker for her husband and two children. Deborah grew up as the lone conservative in a liberal family. She says she was a conservative long before she knew what being a conservative meant.

Join the conversation!

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, vulgarity, profanity, all caps, or discourteous behavior. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain a courteous and useful public environment where we can engage in reasonable discourse.